Case-shifting mechanism



C. SPIRO.

CASE SHIFTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1920.

1,388,651 6. Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

57 WITNESS: 41 INVENTOR. CHHRLES SP/R0.

I BY 77% (r0 fl/ a7 ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

cHARLEs'sr'IR 'oFnEW your; Y.,ASUSIG1I\TOR "r'o FEDERAL Annr'ive 'i/iAcHIN'E CORPORATION, or NEW YORK, N. Y.,- A console-Arron or NEW JERSEY.

' T0. all whom'z't may mm.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES" SPIRo, citizen,of the United States,;residing .at New York, in the county ofNew York and State of New York, have invented certain new "and useful .Improvements" in Case Shifting Mechanism, of which the following is ;a specification This-invention relates to a case shift mechanism for typewriters and. particularly to aconstruction wherein the platen is shifted for upper case writingiand the ribbon carrier simultaneously shifted to maintain its relative position to the printing point upon the platen. a j 1 The invention has for an object to provide a novelandimproved construction of shift- "ing mechanism comprising a rock-shaft hav- .ing an arm disposed to effect a downward draftupon the shift railfor a platen, and an opposite arm connected to effect a slmul- .taneousiupward movement of the ribbon car- -rier.-

A' further object the invention to provide an'improved construction of case- .shifted ribbon carrier pivotally mounted and 'tensioned toward the printing, face of, the I platen so that the ribbon lies immediately adjacent thereto and resistance to the typebar printing movement by the ribbon 1s practically eliminated. I

Another object of the invention is to present a novel construction and arrangement tive parts,

of parts and their connectionsiwhereby the case-shifting of the platen and r bbon. may

be "effected withoutaltering their normal operation through the actuating means for effecting vibration of-the ribbon and the extent of such vibration for color shifting.

Other and further objects and advantages of the.invention;will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims...

Fig. 2 a skeletonized plan of the opera- FigQS' a detailfront elevation-of theline indicator and ribbon carrier supported thereby, and r V Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on line 1 Like numerals refer to like several figures of the drawings.

- The numeral 10 designate'sthe frame of a from the shift rod.

parts in the "cAsE-sHir'rINe MECHANISM.

' Specification of Letters Iatent. Paten'tgd Aug, Application filed February 1 4, 1920. Serial No. 358,593.

typewriting machine, which may be of any desired construction or configuration, and is provided with the usual top plate 11 and segment 12 forsupporting the type bars 13. In the illustration of theinvention only such portions of the typewriter frame are formed in the shifting side plates 20. These plates are pivotally connected at 21 with the shift arms 22, which are mounted upon the cross-rod 23 pivoted in the'fixed side plates 24 of the carriage. The shift plates 20 are also pivoted at 25 to an equalizing link 26, which is pivoted in the fixed side plates 24 at its'rear end 27, and is restored to normal position-by a spring 28, surrounding the pivot 27, and bearing upon the link as shown in F 1g. 1. The opposite shift arms 22 are connected by a cross-rail 29 at the rear.

For the purpose of shifting this rail downward and raising the platen for upper case work, through connection just described, a shift rod 30 is mounted in the frame for vertical sliding movement and provided at its upper end with an arm 31 carrying a contact roller 32 which rides upon the upper-face of the rail 29. In order to disconnect this roller from the rail, if it be desired to remove the'carria-ge, the arm 31 is pivotally mounted at 33-upon the rod 30,

and the tail 34'of the arm extends beyond the rod and is held innormal position by a spring 35, while the upward movement of the arm islimited by astop 36 at the opposite side of the rod from said spring. This construction permits the traveling wheel 32 to be removed from the shift rail and retalned in its. removed position while, when in operative position, it is securely held so that the draft upon the rail is indirect line at its opposite ends 41 in the sides of the.

frame 10. This rock-shaft is formed with a rearwardly projecting arm 42 pivotally connected at 43 with the lower end of the shift rod 30, and has also an oppositely extending arm 44, provided with a bifurcated or slotted free end 45, which is connected to a slide member 46 carrying the line indlcator arms 47. The rock-shaft is actuated by a key-lever 48 of any ordinary form, which is pivotally mounted at 49 upon a fulcrum 50 at the rear of the machine frame, and is normally held in raised position by means of a tension spring 51 extending from the lever to a supporting hook 52 upon the frame. The lever 48 has secured thereto a vertical arm 53 provided with a lateral lug 54 disposed to contact with a depending projection 55 from the rock-shaft 40. This probar 59 is provided, which enters the slotted end of the rock-arm 44, before described, and thus receives motion therefrom. The

opposite sides of the slide 46 are formed with depending arms 60 disposed at substantially v a right angle to the body of the slide and provided at their lower ends with pivotal mountings 61 for the arms of the line inclicator.

At the upper ends of the arms 47, the body 62 of the line indicator forms a support for the ribbon carrier 63. This carrier at its upper end has the usual ribbon fingers 64, and at its lower end the connecting eye 65 for the vibrating means to be hereinafter clescribed. The ribbon'carrier-is held against lateral displacement upon the body 62 of the line indicator by means of lugs 66 therefrom extending overthe carrier as shown in Fig. 3, and the upper end of the body 62 is provided at each side of the carrier with the usual indications 67 to coiiperate with the platen at its printing face. The line indicator and ribbon carrier supported thereby are normally tensionedtoward the printing face of the platen 18 by any desired means, one form of which is herein shown, and comprises a spring 68 secured to the body of the indicator at 69 and bearing at its free end against the inner face of the segment 12. The movement of the indicator and carrier toward the face of the platen is limited by a keeper 70 secured to the inner face of the segment, but this'limiting of the contact of the indicator with the platen is so disposed as to permit a constant contact between the upper end of the indicator and the printing 'cally eliminated.

both the type bar contact with the platen and the ribbon movement, as the ribbon is not drawn or tensioned by the type bar at the instant of printing, and the resistance to the type-bar movement at this time is practi- The construction of the indicator for supporting the ribbon 71 provides for its position immediately adjacent the printing face of the platen, but without actual contact therewith, and thus avoids smutting or soilingof the paper. The ribbon mounting also provides for an equal and light contact with the line indicator whenever a number of sheets are fed to the platen, as it yields away therefrom for the distance equivalent to the body of paper carried upon the face of the platen. V

Extending from the connecting eye 65 of the ribbon guide 63 is a depending link 72, which is connected at its lower end with a vibrator lever 73, by means of a pivotal connection 74. This lever is suitably pivoted at 75 to arms 76, extending from the slide 46.

For the purpose of actuating this vibrator lever, a rearwardly extending arm 77 is provided upon the universal bail 78, which is 'mounted 1n the segment 12 and actuated by a shoulder 79.upon the type bars 13. These type bars are mounted upon a pivot 80 in the usual manner and provided with a slot 81 to receive an actuating pin 82 carried by the sub-lever 83, which is pivoted at 84 in the cross-bar 59 of the frame. This con-- nection secures an acceleration of the speed of the type bar and a reduction inthe leverageas it approaches the printing point. The sub-lever 83 is provided with a short arm 85, which is pivotally connected to a de pending link 86 pivoted at 87 upon a key lever 88 of the usual construction. This link connection provides for adirect downward draft upon the sub-lever and avoids the friction of a rolling or sliding contact between the sub-lever and the key lever. While this type-bar action has been described here in, the novel features thereof are the subject of a separate application filed May 1, 1920, Serial No. 362,248.

The universal bail 78 is provided at its inner end with a head 90, by which movement isimparted to the vertical arm 91 of the vibrator lever 73 and theribbon carrier consequently vibrated upon the line indicator. For the purpose of varying the extent of this vibration so that the different paths upon the ribbon may be used, as in bichrome work, a color shifting plate 92 is slidably mounted upon the arm 91 of the vibrator, and has the oppositely disposed engaging hooks 93 and 94 adapted to contact with the T-head 90 of the bail-at different points from the axis of the vibrator lever, and thus 7 vary the throw; thereof. As the members before mentioned are case-shifted with the platen, it is necessary-to provide a compensating "connection between the color "shift plate 92" 2.I1(l its actuating means carried upon the 'framefof the machine. FOll'lZlllS- I purpose a link'95 is pivotally connected at its opposite ends 96 and 97 to the slide 92 and a shift lever 98, respectively." This shift lever is pivoted upon a frame at 99 and its lower'end, engages a cam member 100 carriedbythe sliding rod 101, which extends to the keyboard of the machine and is there provided" with the usual indicating lever 102 for shifting the same to diiferent color positions. While the color shift mechanism has been herein described as {a cooperating "porting line finder, as well as the vibrator.

This action bodily raises the ribbon in order' to maintain its'relative position to the printing face of'the platen during upper case work and permits thesa-merelative vibration of theribbon toward and from the printing point. The connection'between the shift key and the rock-shaft provides'for a rolling movement of the parts upon" each a other, and also for the independent restoring of the key when the platen and ribbon mechanism are restored through the devices for that purpose. The construction of the sliding shift bar provides a pivotal support for the line finder which, in turn, slidingly supports the ribbon carrier, while the eX- tended arms from this slide member provide a pivotal I support for thevibrator lever; -This lever has a case-shifting connection by the 'elongated T-head from the universal bail, and the color shift device carried by the lever is alsopermitted to caseshift through the compensating link with its actuating lever. The yielding support for the ribbon carrier which disposes it immediately' adjacent the printing face of the platen prevents any movement of the ribbon by the type bar toward the platen in the printing action,.an'd thus eliminates the resistance: to theyfinal portion of the type stroke which, it will be understood, 1S aresilientm'ovement of the type bar, as usual inthis art: It has been'found that with'the ribbon spaced from the platen face, it 1s necessary to drag or force the ribbon inward fora distance before making the impression upon the paper carried by the platen. Such action results in uneven impresslons, as the the following claims resistance of the taut ribbon materially reduces the momentum of the type bar and increases the pressure requiredupon the key lever, in orderto secure a clear and well-defined impression at the printing point. It will be understood that in the use of the case-shifting mechanism, a suitable shiftlock-maybe provided, and as this is ordinary in the art, such construction has not been herein shown.

The inventionlpresents a simple, eflicient and economically constructed mechanism for securing the simultaneous shifting of the ribbon carrier and platen, and while the specific construction of many of the parts has been shown and described, the invention is notconfined'thereto, as will be defined by What I claim is: 1

In a typewriter, a frame, a horizontal cross bar therein, a slide block carried by one 5 face of said bar, a ribbon vibrating-member carried-by a support slidably mounted upon said block, and means for case shifting said support and member upon said bar.

2. In a typewriter, a shiftable platen, a rock shaft rovided with an arm, and a ribbon hold1ng"member having its lower portion mounted to slide upon a fixed support and directly connectedbya lost motion connection to said arm to becase shifted thereby. r a i "Inca typewriter, a shiftable platen, a rock shaft provided with anarm to shift said platen, an opposite arm upon said shaft,

afixed support providedwith a slide member, and a ribbon holding member mounted to slide thereon and directly connected to said opposite arm to becase shiftedthereby.

; 4. In awtypewriter, a carriage provided with a case shifting platen, afixed support provided with a slide member, a ribbon carrier slidingly mounted thereon, a vibrator lever fonthe carrier mounted upon said Slide member, means to jointly case shift said carrier and lever, and a universal bail having head disposed in a plane parallel to the slide member to engage said lever and permit case shifting thereo 5. Ina typewriter, a shiftable platen,a shift rail therefor, a shift rod engaging said rail, a rock shaft having anarm connected to said rod, an opposite arm upon said shaft, a fixed support provided with a slide memher, a vertically movable shift member -mounted thereon and having a lost motion connection withsaidopposite arm, a line indlcator pivotally supported .upon said shift member, and a ribbon carrier supported upon said indicator. 6.- In a typewriter, ashiftable platen, a

rock shaft having an arm connected to shift saidplaten, an opposite arm upon said shaft, a vertically movable shift member directly connected -to said opposite arm, a line indicatorpivotally supported upon said member, a ribbon carrier upon said indicator, a rearwardly extending arm from said shift member, and a vibrator lever pivoted upon said arm and connected to said ribbon carrier. Y

7. In a typewriter, a shiftable platen, a roclr shaft having an, arm connected to shift said platen, an opposite arm upon said shaft, a vertically movable shift member directly connected to said opposite arm, a' ribbon holder pivotally supported upon said memher, a ribbon carrier upon said holder, a rearwardly extending arm from said shift member, a vibrator lever upon said arm connected to said carrier, and a spring interposed between said ribbon holder and a fixed part to force the holder toward said platen.

8. In a typewriter, a frame, a typebar action therein, a universal bail actuated by the typebars of said action, a vibrator lever having a case-shifting connection with said bail, a ribbon carrier actuated by said lever, a holding member for said carrier, a rock shaft having an arm directly engaging said holding member, and a shift key connected to said shaft.

9. In a typewriter, the combination of a platen, means for case-shifting the same, a simultaneously case shifted slide member, a ribbon supporting device pivoted upon said member, a ribbon carrier upon said device, a vibratorflever for said carrier mounted upon said slide member, and means for actuating said lever. I

10.. In a typewriter, the combination with a platen and means for shifting the same, of a shift key, a rock shaft actuated thereby, an arm from said shaft, a slide block mounted upon a fixed part, a slide member thereon directly actuated by said arm and having a rearwardly extending arm, a ribbon carrier, a support therefor pivoted upon said slide member, a vibrator lever pivoted upon said rearward arm and connected to said carrier, and means for actuating said vibrator.

11. In a typewriter, a frame, a case shift I ing unit comprising a slide member, a ribbon carrier supported thereby, a ribbon vibrator supported from said member at the rear thereof, means for actuating said vibrator, and means for shifting said slide member.

12. In a typewriter, the combination of a platen and means for shifting the same, a slide block mounted upon a fixed part, a slide member disposed thereon and having a supportingarm, a ribbon carrier pivotally supported upon said member, a vibrator lever pivoted upon said supporting arm and connected to said carrier, means for actuating said lever, means for case-shifting said slide member, and a resilient member disposed'to force the ribbon carrier support toward the platen face. 1

13. In a typewriter, the combination of a platen and means for shifting the same, a slide block mounted upon a fixed part, a slide member disposed thereon and having a supporting arm, a ribbon carrier supportpivoted upon said member, a vibrator lever pivoted upon said supporting arm, means for actuating said lever, means for case-shifting said slide member, a resilient member disposed to force said ribbon carrier support toward the platen face, and a keeper to limit the travel of said support toward the platen.

14. In a typewriter, a platen, a ribbon carrier, and a support therefor normally yieldingly forced toward the printing face of said platen whereby the ribbon is disposed immediately adjacent said face.

15. In a typewriter, a platen, a ribbon carrier, a support therefor normally yieldingly forced toward the printing face of said platen whereby the ribbon is disposed immediately adjacent said face, and means for case-shifting said holder and carrier simultaneously'with the shift of said platen. V

- 16. In a typewriter, a platen, a ribbon carrier, a support therefor normally yieldingly forced toward the printing face of said platen whereby the ribbon is disposed immediately adjacent said face, means for caseshiftingsaid support and carrier simultaneously with the shift of said platen, means for vibrating said carrier, and actuating means for said vibrator disposed to permit 7 case shift movement of the latter.

17. In a typewriter, a frame, a slide block carried by a fixed'member thereof, a slide member mounted thereon and having arms at opposite sides, rearwardly extending parallel arms from said member, a vibrator lever carried by said parallel arms, a line indicator having depending portions from its body pivotally mounted upon the side arms of said slide, a ribbon carrier supported upon the body of said indicator, and means for case-shifting said slide member.

18. In a typewriter, a frame, a slide block carried by a fixed member thereof, a slide membermounted thereon and having arms at opposite sides, rearwardly extending parallel arms from said member, a vibrator lever carried by said parallel arms, a line indicator having depending portions from its body pivotally mounted upon the side arms of said slide, a ribbon carrier supported upon the body of said indicator, a rock-shaft having an arm provided with an elongated slot and engaging said slide member and a shiftkey lever disposed to actuate said rockshaft.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

CHARLES SPIRO. 

